Infant swing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An infant swing apparatus includes a support unit, a swing member and a seat unit. The support unit is adapted for standing on a surface. The swing member includes a carrier and a link unit connected pivotally to the support unit and the carrier such that the carrier is swingable relative to the support unit and such that an angle of the carrier relative to a horizontal plane is maintained while the carrier swings relative to the support unit. The seat unit is mounted on the carrier for movement therewith relative to the support unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Chinese application no. 200520107377.3, filed on May 24, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a swing apparatus, more particularly to an infant swing apparatus that is comfortable for an infant seated thereon and that permits swinging of the infant in different directions.

2. Description of the Related Art

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,432, there is disclosed an infant carrier that has a handle which can be detachably coupled to a hanger on a swing. The handle is U-shaped and is pivotably connected at its free ends to a carrier shell body by a latch means so that the handle can be latched in different angular positions.

In use, the handle latched to the carrier shell body is coupled to the hanger, and oscillation of the hanger is transmitted to the handle so as to oscillate the infant carrier. If the amplitude of oscillation is large, an infant seated on the infant carrier will feel uncomfortable since the line-of-vision of the infant reciprocates between upward and downward directions. Moreover, since oscillation of the infant carrier is limited to a single direction, i.e., a front-rear direction, the infant easily becomes bored after a period of use in view of monotonous oscillating movement of the infant carrier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an infant swing apparatus that can avoid forced change in the line-of-vision of an infant seated thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an infant swing apparatus that permits adjustment of at least one of tilt and orientation of a chair body.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an infant swing apparatus that permits swinging of an infant in a selected one of front rear and left-right directions.

Accordingly, an infant swing apparatus of this invention comprises a support unit, a swing member and a seat unit. The support unit is adapted for standing on a surface. The swing member includes a carrier and a link unit connected pivotally to the support unit and the carrier such that the carrier is swingable relative to the support unit and such that an angle of the carrier relative to a horizontal plane is maintained while the carrier swings relative to the support unit. The seat unit is mounted on the carrier for movement therewith relative to the support unit.

Preferably, the seat unit includes a chair body and a coupling mechanism for coupling adjustable the chair body to the carrier of the swing member such that at least one of tilt of the chair body relative to a horizontal axis and orientation of the chair body relative to a vertical axis is adjustable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an infant swing apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view to illustrate the preferred embodiment in a state of frontward swinging;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view to illustrate the preferred embodiment in a state of rearward swinging;

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is another schematic top view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating a different orientation for a chair body as compared to FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the preferred embodiment of an infant swing apparatus according to the present invention is shown to be adapted to stand on a surface, such as the ground, and is provided for sitting of an infant thereon.

The infant swing apparatus comprises a support unit 1, a swing member 2, and a seat unit 3.

The support unit 1 is adapted for standing on the surface. In this embodiment, the support unit 1 includes a pair of left and right support members 12, 11 spaced apart from each other. Each of the support members 11, 12 is arch shaped and has front and rear portions that rest on the surface. Moreover, the support unit 1 further includes a pair of connecting rods 13, each of which is disposed parallel to the surface and interconnects the front portions and the rear portions of the support members 11, 12, respectively.

The swing member 2 includes a carrier 21 and a link unit connected pivotally to the support unit 1 and the carrier 21. In this embodiment, the carrier 21 is in the form of a rectangular plate, and the link unit includes two pairs of link rods 22 that have equal lengths. Each link rod 22 has a first end pivoted to a respective corner of the carrier 21, and a second end pivoted to one of the support members 11, 12 via a respective pivot coupler 14 such that the carrier 21 is swingable relative to the support unit 1 and such that an angle of the carrier 21 relative to a horizontal plane is maintained while the carrier 21 swings relative to the support unit 1.

The seat unit 3 is mounted on the carrier 21 for movement therewith relative to the support unit 1, and includes a chair body 31 for sitting of the infant, and a coupling mechanism for coupling adjustably the chair body 31 to the carrier 21. In this embodiment, the coupling mechanism includes a first pivot connector 33 that permits tilt adjustment of the chair body 31 relative to a horizontal axis, and a second pivot connector 34 that permits orientation adjustment of the chair body 31 relative to a vertical axis. In this embodiment, the coupling mechanism further includes a seat post 32 having top and bottom ends. The first pivot connector 33 connects pivotally the chair body 31 to the top end of the seat post 32. The second pivot connector 34 connects pivotally the bottom end of the seat post 32 to the carrier 21. It is noted that the seat post 32 may be omitted in other embodiments of this invention.

In use, since the link rods 22 have equal lengths, the carrier 21 is suspended parallel to the surface on which the support unit 1 stands. When the swing member 2 swings relative to the support unit 1, the parallel relation of the carrier 21 with the surface is maintained, as best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. In this way, forced change in the line-of-vision of the infant seated on the chair body 31 can be avoided to minimize discomfort when swinging.

Moreover, the second pivot connector 34 permits orientation adjustment of the chair body 31 relative to a vertical axis. Hence, the chair body 31 may be oriented to swing in a front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. 5, or in a left-right direction, as shown in FIG. 6, through 90 degree orientation adjustment about the vertical axis via the second pivot connector 34. As a result, the interest of the infant seated on the chair body 31 may be sustained by varying the orientation of the chair body 31.

In practice, the design of the link unit should not be limited to the four straight link rods 22 employed in this embodiment. In addition, the design of the seat unit 3 as well as that of the support unit 1 should not be limited to those of the preferred embodiment.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. An infant swing apparatus comprising: a support unit adapted for standing on a surface; a swing member including a carrier and a link unit connected pivotally to said support unit and said carrier such that said carrier is swingable relative to said support unit and such that an angle of said carrier relative to a horizontal plane is maintained while said carrier swings relative to said support unit; and a seat unit mounted on said carrier for movement therewith relative to said support unit.
 2. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier is in the form of a rectangular plate, and said link unit includes two pairs of link rods, each of which has a first end pivoted to a respective corner of said carrier and a second end pivoted to said support unit.
 3. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said link rods have equal lengths.
 4. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seat unit includes a chair body and a coupling mechanism for coupling adjustably said chair body to said carrier.
 5. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said coupling mechanism includes a pivot connector that permits tilt adjustment of said chair body relative to a horizontal axis.
 6. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said coupling mechanism includes a pivot connector that permits orientation adjustment of said chair body relative to a vertical axis.
 7. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said coupling mechanism includes a first pivot connector that permits tilt adjustment of said chair body relative to a horizontal axis, and a second pivot connector that permits orientation adjustment of said chair body relative to a vertical axis.
 8. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said coupling mechanism further includes a seat post having top and bottom ends, said first pivot connector connecting pivotally said chair body to said top end of said seat post, said second pivot connector connecting pivotally said bottom end of said seat post to said carrier.
 9. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support unit includes a pair of left and right support members spaced apart from each other and connected pivotally to said link unit of said swing member.
 10. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said support members is arch shaped.
 11. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said support unit further includes a connecting rod that interconnects said support members.
 12. An infant swing apparatus comprising: a support unit adapted for standing on a surface; a swing member mounted swingably on said support unit; and a seat unit including a chair body and a coupling mechanism for coupling adjustably said chair body to said swing member such that tilt of said chair body relative to a horizontal axis is adjustable.
 13. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said coupling mechanism includes a seat post having a top end connected pivotally to said chair body to permit tilt adjustment of said chair body relative to the horizontal axis, and a bottom end connected to said swing member.
 14. An infant swing apparatus comprising: a support unit adapted for standing on a surface; a swing member mounted swingably on said support unit; and a seat unit including a chair body and a coupling mechanism for coupling adjustably said chair body to said swing member such that orientation of said chair body relative to a vertical axis is adjustable.
 15. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said coupling mechanism couples adjustably said chair body to said swing member such that tilt of said chair body relative to a horizontal axis and the orientation of said chair body relative to the vertical axis are independently adjustable.
 16. An infant swing apparatus comprising: a support unit adapted for standing on a surface; a swing member mounted on said support unit for swinging in a front-rear direction; and a seat unit mounted on said swing member for swinging therewith relative to said support unit, said seat unit permitting line-of-vision of an infant seated thereon to be oriented perpendicular to the front-rear direction such that the infant is swung in a left-right direction while said swing member swings in the front-rear direction.
 17. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said swing member includes a carrier and a link unit connected pivotally to said support unit and said carrier such that said carrier is swingable relative to said support unit and such that an angle of said carrier relative to a horizontal plane is maintained while said carrier swings relative to said support unit.
 18. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said carrier is in the form of a rectangular plate, and said link unit includes two pairs of link rods, each of which has a first end pivoted to a respective corner of said carrier and a second end pivoted to said support unit.
 19. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said seat unit includes a chair body and a seat post, said seat post having a top end connected to said chair body, and a bottom end connected to said carrier.
 20. The infant swing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said support unit includes a pair of left and right support members spaced apart from each other and connected pivotally to said link unit of said swing member. 